Novelty surprise-envelop.



A. V. DONAHBY.

APatented Nov. 1'?, 1908.

3 n u@ n lo'c DONA/Ley (1Mo/:Mms

rnrnwmu: PETER: co.. wlsnmcruu, n, C. l

NOVELTY SURPRISE ENVBLOP.' APPLICATION FILED JUNI; 1a, 1907 Y. 904,052.

MM WIM, MJ T H H mm 4 W I M l 5281i hmm @www UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEieE.

ALVIN V. DONAHEY, OF NEW IHILADELPHIA, OHIO.

NOVELTY SURPRISE-ENVELOP.

To all rwhom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVIN V. DONAHEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Philadelphia, in the county of Tuscarawas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Now elty Surprise-Envelops, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention consists of certain new and useful improvements in novelty surprise envelops, and the principal object of the invention is to provide an envelop having an inclosure card or announcement mounted therein under tension, the same being arranged so that when the flap of the envelop is opened, the said inclosure card or announcement springs out of the envelop in a startling and amusing manner.`

Another object is to provide an improved form of tension means for causing the sudden projecting of the inclosure card or announcement.`

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings-Figure l is an elevation, partly in section, of a closed envelop, the inclosure card being shown under tension. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of an envelop, the same being shown in an open position, with the inclosure card projected therefrom. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the upper portion of the envelop showing the manner of connecting the elastic to the envelop.

Like characters of reference refer to corresponding parts.

In the specification and accompanying drawings I have described and illustrated the invention as applied to an end-opening envelop which is held in a closed position by means of a clasp, but it is to be understood that while this form of envelop is a convenient one, the invention is equally applicable to any other kind of envelop in common use.

In the accompanying drawings l designates an envelop of the end-opening type, and 2 designates the closing flap therefor'. The said closing flap has an eyelet centrally located therein. A flexible tongue l is carried by the back of the envelop, said flexible tongue being located in a position so as to be readily passed through the eyelet 3 of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 18, 1907.

Patented Nov. 17', 1908.

Serial No. 379,595.

flap 2, when said flap is in its closed position, after which the said tongue is bent down on to the flap to retain the flap in a closed position. As an additional securing means the tongue is provided with a nick 5 in its side with which the eyelet engages. So far as described the envelop is of a well known type.

Across the extreme upper portion of the inner face of the back of the envelop I provide a reinforcing strip 6 of tough paper or other suitable material. Said strip extends entirely across the upper edge of the back, and intermediate of each end thereof I attach fastening clips. The clips are of a well known type, comprising the front and back members 7-S, the lower portions of which are provided, respectively, with a penetrating prong 9 anda socket 10. The material to be held together is placed between the two members 7 8 and the penetrating prong forced therethrough and into the socket 10.

For convenience of illustration I have shown the use of an ordinary shipping tag as the inclosure, the said tag being designated by the numeral l1, and provided with an eyelet 12.

13 designates an elastic cord made in the form of a loop, and this loop is centrally divided by means of a knot 14; to form two loops. rlhe end of one of the loops of the elastic cord is attached to the eyelet l2 of the inclosure 11, the other part of the said elastic cord being held between the two members of the binding clips carried by the back of the envelop. The arrangement of the elastic cord 13 and its connection is such that when the device is assembled in its operative position, it will be in the form oftwo loops, one a vertical loop which carries the inclosure 1l, and the other a horizontal loop which has each of its ends held within the two binding clips.

The parts of the invention are assembled in the following manner :-One end of the divided elastic loop is attached to the eyelet of the inclosure l1. The other portion of said elastic loop is placed between the two members of the binding clips, and said clips are placed over the upper, reinforced, portion of the back of the envelop adjacent to each end thereof. The two members of the clips are then forced together, which causes the penetrating prongs to pass through the reinforcing material and the back of the envelop and enter the socket. By this means one portion of the divided elastic loop is held by said clips in the form of a horizontal loop, and as the elastic within each clip is above the penetrating prong, it will be seen that the elastic can not be disengaged from said clips without tlrstremoving the clips. After the parts have been attached in the manner just described, the att-ached end of the inclosure is first placed within the entrance to t-he envelop, and as the said inclosure is further pushed into the envelop, the elastic will be gradually distended until by the time the entire inclosure is within the envelop, said elastic will be distended to such an extent that it will be necessary to Jforcibly retain the inclosure therein. The end flap is then closed over the entrance to the envelop, and the fastening tongue is passed through the eyelet in said Hap until the nick in said tongue engages said eyelet. The tongue is then bent down, and the said flap thereby retained in its closed position. To open the envelop, the tongue is returned to its normal position, and its nick disengaged from the eye. The i'lap may then be opened, and as soon as this has been done, the restraining force upon the inclosure is, of course, removed, and the tension of the elastic cord will be suiiicient to cause the said inclosure to spring out of the envelop.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that as the inclosure is permanently attached to the envelop, there is little or no liability of said inclosure becoming detached therefrom, and further, by means of the reinforcing strip at the upper edge of the back ofthe envelop, the binding clips are in little or no danger of ever being torn away from said back on account of the strain incident to the movement of the inclosure.

I claim as my invention l. A surprise envelop provided with a closing Hap having an eyelet seated therein, an inclosure card, an elastic provided with two loops one of which is attached to the upper portion of the envelop and the other attached to said inclosure card, and a astening tongue carried by the back of the envelop and provided with a notched side which engages with the said eyelet in the flap when the latter is closed to retain the inclosure card within the envelop against the tension of said elastic.

2. A novelty of the class described comprising an envelop, an elastic divided centrally to form a horizontal Aand a vertical loop, clips for retaining the ends of the horizontal loop in engagement with the upper portion of said envelop, an inclosure card having its lower portion connected with one end of said vertical loop, and mea-ns for retaining said inclosure card within said envelop against the tension of said elastic.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

A. V. DONAI-IEY.

litnesses A. S. KEPLINGER, J os. C. MITCHELL. 

